10 Key Steve Jobs Moments and Innovations

Under the leadership of Steve Jobs, Apple became a technology leader and cultural force. Take a look back at some favorite Jobs moments and ideas.

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Steve Jobs has resigned as chief executive officer of Apple, Inc., for the second time since he co-founded the company in 1976. He has been elected chairman of Apple's Board of Directors, effective immediately. Jobs is also a member of the board of directors of Pixar, where he was CEO for ten years prior to Disney's acquisition of the company in 2006.

Jobs has published a resignation letter that only alludes to the health issues that appear to have motivated his decision to step down. "I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know," Jobs wrote. "Unfortunately, that day has come."

In 2004, Jobs underwent an operation to treat a rare form of pancreatic cancer. Though the operation was regarded a success, Jobs has continued to confront health issues in the years since then. He took a six-month leave of absence in January, 2009, and was granted another leave of absence this year.

Speaking on behalf of Apple's board, Art Levinson, chairman of Genentech, lauded Jobs's accomplishments and leadership. "Steve's extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world's most innovative and valuable technology company," he said in a statement.

Jobs first resigned from Apple in 1984 following a boardroom power struggle and went on to found Next Computer. Apple acquired Next in 1996, bringing Jobs back to the company. Jobs took over as CEO the following year and began laying the groundwork for Apple's transformation into one of the most respected and successful companies in the world.

Across the Internet, fans and competitors expressed sadness at the presumed state of Jobs' health and admiration for his accomplishments.

Truly are marketing and design genius...as far as innovation goes, anything Apple brought to the table of consumer electronics was there before or invented somewhere else. This is not meant to dismiss the effort Apple put into all this, but they did not have all the ideas.

Just because the server market's in the doldrums doesn't mean innovation has ceased. Far from it -- server technology is enjoying the biggest renaissance since the dawn of x86 systems. But the primary driver is now service providers, not enterprises.